1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a terminal for use with waterproof connectors, mainly used for connection of wiring harnesses.
2. Description of the Related
FIGS. 12 to 16 show a conventional terminal for waterproof connectors.
In FIG. 12, a represents a waterproof connector, b a mat-like waterproof stopper, c a hold-down cover for the waterproof stopper and d a terminal. The waterproof stopper b is, in advance, fitted in an open chamber e at the rear end of the connector a and held in place by the hold-down cover c.
The terminal d with a wire f connected in advance pushed through a through-hole c1 in the hold-down cover and an insertion hole b1 in the waterproof stopper b into a terminal accommodating chamber a1 in connector a in which the terminal d is locked by means of a resilient locking piece a2 shown in FIG. 14.
As enlargedly shown in FIG. 13, the terminal d includes a female receptor portion d1 for receiving a mating male terminal, the receptor portion d1 being at the front lower end and formed with a cutaway portion d2. A folded-back resilient contact plate d3 is continuous via a curved bent portion d3' to the front end of the receptor portion-constituting bottom plate, the bent portion d3' being located at an intermediate length of the cutaway portion d2. Thus, the cutaway portion d2, which is provided for the resilient contact plate d3, causes an edge portion d6 to be formed at the front loner end of each lateral wall d5 of the receptor portion d1.
FIG. 14 shows an initial stage of insertion of the terminal d into the waterproof connector a. A large U-shaped square front end face d4 of the terminal d comes into contact with a waterproof rib b2 in the insertion hole (FIG. 15A) to immediately push the waterproof rib b2 aside and pass therethrough (FIG. 15B). As illustrated in FIG. 16, the initial area of contact of the U-shaped end face d4 against the waterproof rib b2 is large, resulting in the insertion hole b1 being widened abruptly while the edge portions d6 of the terminal d damage the waterproof rib b2, thereby resulting in the sealing performance being lowered.
This invention has been accomplished to overcome the above drawbacks and its object is to provide a terminal for waterproof connectors which has no such undesirable edge portions, in which the receptor portion of a terminal has a reduced initial area of contact on passing through the insertion hole of a waterproof stopper so as to avoid contact of edge portions of the receptor portion with an insertion hole-defining portion of the stopper, or in which the receptor portion of the terminal gradually widens the insertion hole in the stopper to prevent damage to the sealing surface thereof.
In order to attain the object, according to an aspect of this invention, there is provided a terminal for waterproof connectors including a receptor portion, the receptor portion comprising: a bottom plate; lateral walls provided upright at opposite sides of the bottom plate; and a slanting insertion guide surface extending from an intermediate height of a front end of each of the lateral walls to a retreated front end of the bottom plate so as to provide a cutaway portion therebelow.
The slanting insertion guide surface gradually widens the insertion hole in a waterproof stopper.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a terminal for waterproof connectors including a receptor portion, the receptor portion comprising: a bottom plate; lateral walls provided upright at opposite sides of the bottom plate; and a slantingly inwardly bent portion adjacent to a front lower edge of each of the lateral walls, by means of which the front lower edge is displaced inwardly of a contour of the receptor portion.
According to a still another aspect of this invention, there is provided a terminal for waterproof connectors including a receptor portion, the receptor portion comprising: a bottom plate; lateral walls provided upright at opposite sides of the bottom plate; and an extension extending from a front lower end of each of the lateral walls, which is bent inwardly so as to be positioned inside a contour of the receptor portion.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements are denoted by like reference characters.